In the days leading up to the 2008 NBA Draft, NYKnicks.com will profile many of the top players available. We offer these profiles for fans to familiarize themselves with some of the biggest names in the draft. A player's inclusion in this series of articles is based purely on his rankings in the scouting services and mainstream media and does not necessarily reflect the Knicks organization's preferences for the June 26 Draft at the WaMu Theater at Madison Square Garden.

We continue our series with a profile of Ohio State center Kosta Koufos, a projected first-round pick, according to major scouting services and numerous publications.

During his lone collegiate season, Ohio State center Kosta Koufos made a name for himself as a player who thrived in big games and pressure situations.

The 7-foot-0, 265-pound freshman was named the Most Valuable Player of the 2008 Postseason NIT, leading the Buckeyes to the tournament title by averaging 18.2 points and 6.2 rebounds. He capped off his impressive tournament with a standout game at Madison Square Garden, scoring 22 points, grabbing nine rebounds and rejecting three shots in a 92-85 win over Massachusetts.

Although he is a native of Canton, Ohio, Koufos holds duel citizenship in the United States and Greece. Even before he entered Ohio State, Koufos had drawn scouts' attention while playing on the Greek Under-17 national team.

Koufos was named MVP of the 2007 Under-18 European Championships after guiding Greece to a silver medal by averaging 26.5 points, 13 rebounds and 3.5 blocks. He led the tournament in scoring and rebounding. He also stepped his game up when it counted most -- netting 37 points and 20 rebounds in the semifinals vs. Lithuania before recording 33 points and 13 rebounds in the gold medal game against Serbia.

Following in the footsteps of 2007 No. 1 overall NBA Draft pick Greg Oden, Koufos averaged 14.4 points, 6.7 boards and 1.8 blocks per game in his only season of college basketball. He ranked second in the Big Ten in blocks, fifth in both scoring and rebounding and seventh in field-goal percentage at 50.8 percent. His 534 points are the second-highest scoring total for a freshman in OSU history.

Scouts note that Koufos has great size and strength, as well as a tremendous wingspan, enabling him to dominate down in the low block with an exceptional back to the basket game. He is also considered a very strong shooter for a true 7-footer, possessing a consistent mid-range game and capable of hitting the occasional three with a 34.9 shooting percentage from downtown.

Defensively, Koufos is known as a better help defender than as a one-one-one matchup guy. With a strong sense of timing and good mobility and athleticism for a big man, he projects well as an NBA shot-blocker due to his length. Opponents are constantly forced to be aware of where he is, often looking to attack the basket away from his location.

Draft pundits agree that Koufos would have benefited from returning to school to refine his skills, because they say he relies too much on his right hand and the same set of moves. While they have served him well thus far in college, pro scouts are likely to recognize this and set their game plans accordingly.

Despite this concern, there is still the fact that 7-footers with Koufos' skills are tough to find. That alone should make him an intriguing candidate on draft night.